China marking pencil



Oct. 9, 1951 E 5E|BERT 2,570,496

CHINA MARKING PENCIL Filed Feb. l5, 1950 l'wf//ufor I Patented Oct. 9,1951 CHINA MARKING PENCIL `Ernest Seibert, Chicago, Ill., assignor toAutopoint Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationFebruary 15, 1950, Serial No. 144,235

(Cl. 12o- 21) 2 Claims;

The present invention relates to a novel pencil .construction and.especially to a novel markingpencil or crayon holder for securely yetyieldably .gripping and retaining. a length ofv crayon or `other markingsubstance and permitting ready .renewal Vof the point of the crayon by asimple operation.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a noveladjustable holder for gripping and tensionally retaining the exposed endor point of a length of. crayon or other marking substance generally ofrelatively large cross-section and usually composed of a relatively softcomposition. In the disclosed embodiment, the length of markingsubstance is disposed within the hollow interior of the barrel or bodyof the markingpencil and when releasedis fed by'gravity to the tip ofthe pencil or holder and tensionally held inl adjusted position .withthe point or end thereof exposed, the crayon or marking substancebeingsecurely yet yieldably held in such adjusted position. Y

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novelgripping or clutching mechanism having spring fingers forced intogripping engagement by an encompassing sleeve or tip that islongitudinally adjustable upon the barrel of the marking pencil orholder, the encompassing sleeve or tip causing the gripping mechanism toapply a yieldable gripping pressure by which the marking substance isheld iirmly but suiciently yieldable to prevent undue strain upon therelatively soft crayon or marking substance.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a simplifiedconstruction of marking pencil or crayon holder oi the type employed formari-.ring china, plastics, enamelware and other articles having arelatively hard and glossy surface or iinish which does not yield tolegible marking by a leader other type of pencil.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and whilethere is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understoodthat the same is susceptible of modifi-cation and change, andcomprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features andconstructions without departingfrom the spirit ci" the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in sid-e elevation of the novel marking pencil withthe end or point of the crayon or marking substance projected beyond thetip and ready for marking.

Fig. 2 is a View in vertical cross-section taken 2 longitudinallythrough the marking pencil -or crayon holder of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is aview in perspective of the split sleeve slotted to provide aplurality of spring fingersy or clutching jaws adapted to be pressedinto yieldable gripping engagement with th-e crayon or markingsubstance.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the blank from which the sleeve of Fig. 3 isformed.

Referring more particularlyV to the drawing and to the novelillustrative embodiment therein selected to disclose the presentinvention, the novel marking pencil or crayon holder comprises a barrelE53 of plastid' metal or other suitable composition having suicientinherent strength for use as the barrel or body of the marking pencil.Into the upper open end of the barrel is press-fitted the lower end I!of a ferrule or collar i2 with the projecting upper. open end of thisfer-rule or collar adapted to receive a length of crayon or othermarking substance I3. A cap i4 adapt-ed to provide a closure for theupper open end of the ferrule or collar and the barrel.

At its lower end the barrel is eXteriorly threaded at i5 to receive aninternally threaded tip i6 having its lower end il reduced on theexterior and its inner surface downwardly and inwardly tapered at iii.Within the lower end of the barrel is mounted a split sleeve i9 havingits upper cylindrical end 2| frictionally held in the barrel, and itslower end 22 reduced to provide a plurality of spaced resilient ngers orprojections 23. To properly locate thissplit sleeve i9 in the barrel, itis provided with outwardly and upwardly projecting tongues 2li bent orpressed outwardly from the sheet of metal from which the split sleeve leis formed, and providing a stop or limiting means for limiting the depthto which the sleeve may be forced into the lower end of the barrel.

The extreme lower end il of the tip I6 has an internal diameter suchthat as the tip is screwed tightly onto the threaded end of the barrel,the inner end oi the tip engages and forcibly presses the resilientingcrs or projections 23 into gripping contact or clutching engagementwith the crayon or marking substance i3 and thereby retaining the crayonor marking substance against retraction. Thus when the extended end orpoint 26 of the crayon or marking substance becomes worn down, all thatis necessary tov secure a new point is to unscrew the tip i6 whereby torelieve the pressure upon the spring fingers or resilient projections23. Release of such pressure allows thespring fingers or projections toreturn to their extended or release position, allowing the crayon ormarking substance to drop through these fingers or projections to thedesired exposed length. Then by screwing the tip back onto the barrelthese fingers or projections are again caused to tightly grip the crayonor marking substance and retain it in fixed position. As the barrel IDand ferrule or collar I2 are preferably hollow throughout their length,the length of the section of crayon may be substantially that of thebarrel.

From the above description and the ydisclosure in the drawing it will beapparent that the present invention comprehends a novel marking pencilor crayon holder comprising a minimum number of parts that may bereadily assembled or disassembled, and in which assembly a new, eX-posed end or point of the crayon may be quickly made available as thepoint becomes worn or a new point is required. All that is required isto unscrew the tip sufficiently to cause its tapered, interior cammingsurface to release the pressure on the spring fingers or gripping jaws,whereupon these iingers or jaws return to their normal expanded orretracted position whereby to automatically release the crayon andpermit it to drop by gravity to a new exposed position.

By forming the hollow barrel open at its opposite ends, the crayon ormarking substance employed'may be inserted into the upper end and be ofa length approximately that of the length ofthe barrel, with th-e cap i4forming a closure for this upper end of the barrel. A clip 25 permitsthe pencil or holder to be carried in the pocket.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

l. A marking pencil comprising a hollow, open-v ended barrel forreceiving a length of crayon and threaded at its lower end, a splitsleeve of thin, resilient sheet metal having a part press-fitted intothe lower end of the barrel and having a plurality of downwardly andinwardly tapered spring fingers adapted to encompass the crayon andspaced tongues projecting from the circumference of the sleeveintermediate its leng-th providing stops anchored against the lower endof the barrel for accurately .locating and retaining Cil the sleeve inthe end of the barrel and against longitudinal movement, and a tipthreaded ontp the externally threaded lower end of the barrel and whichwhen tightly threaded onto the end of the barrel forces the springfingers inwardly into holding engagement with the crayon, and when thetip is unscrewed the crayon is automatically released by these springfingers to permit adjustment of the crayon to expose a new point.v

2. A marking pencil consisting of a hollow barrel open at its oppositeends for the reception of a leng-th of marking crayon and threaded atits lower end, a threaded tip adapted to be mounted on the threaded endof the barrel, a longitudinally split, tubular member comprising a sheetof thin resilient metal bent to form a split sleeve having an uppercylindrical part press-fitted into the lower hollow end of the barreland a lower part providing resilient clutching jaws downwardly andinwardly tapered to provide a cylindrical opening of greater diameterthan the marking crayon, spaced tongues projecting outwardly from theexterior of the tubular member for anchoring said member againstlongitudinal movement and camming surfaces on the interior of the lowerend of the tip and encompassing the resilient clutching jaws wherebywhen the tip is screwed onto the barrel the camming surfaces engage andforce the jaws into gripping engagement with the crayon and the crayonheld xedly yet yieldably in marking position.

ERNEST H. SEIBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,907,772 Fellowes May 9, 19332,365,880 Juelss Dec. 26, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 986Great Britain 1877

